


Pizza Delivery

by evvykurler



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pizza, everlark, here we are, they say to write what you know, this is cheesy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-20 20:02:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21062381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evvykurler/pseuds/evvykurler
Summary: Katniss keeps requesting the same pizza delivery guy because he's faster than anyone else.And that's the only reason.Right?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Turns out I only write when I’m hungry…enjoy this cheesy treat ;) 
> 
> Originally published on Tumblr, cross-posted here with some light editing. Thank you @dailyau and @demineil for the prompt: “you’re the only delivery person who gets to my house in any semblance of the word fast which is why I keep requesting you but you don’t believe me and tease me constantly about it” AU. 
> 
> The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins. My love of cheese, however, has no master.

I’ve been dreaming about cheese for three minutes now. I sigh and push back from my desk, peering over my cubicle wall to check the clock. No wonder I’m hungry, it’s almost seven, and through the windows I can see the sky has turned dark blue. I rub my eyes, which are tired from staring at a computer screen all day. I know I’m going to be way too tired to cook dinner, so I reach for my phone.

Nothing like being 28 years old and having the pizza place on speed dial.

“Cornucopia Pizza, how can I help you?”

It’s a voice I don’t recognize, so it must be a new hire.

“One large veggie pizza for delivery.” I give the guy my address and I’m about to hang up when I realize I forgot my usual request.

“Also, could you send Peeta?”

“Peeta?”

“Yeah, uh, he’s one of the delivery guys,” I say, cradling the phone with my shoulder as I pack my laptop bag. If I leave now, I should be home before he arrives, although I swear he’s been delivering faster and faster lately.

“I know who he is.” The guy laughs. “Sure, I’ll ask for him.”

I thank him and hang up, then try my best not to sprint out of the office.

It’s only a ten-minute drive to my place, but by the time I get home Peeta has already arrived. He’s standing on the front steps of my house, his blond hair illuminated by the porch light. He waves as I pull up to the curb, and I give him a small wave in return.

I can practically smell the cheese already.

“Hi, Katniss. One veggie pizza, as usual,” he says.

“I can’t believe you got here so fast,” I say, digging in my bag for my wallet.

He shrugs. “I took a new route.” 

_This_ is why I ask for Peeta. He gets here so fast that at this point I’ve pretty much stopped getting delivery from anywhere else. Why wait?

He shifts the pizza box to one hand and swipes some hair out of his eyes.

“If you keep ordering this pizza, I think we’ll have to name it after you.”

I finally find some cash and drop it in his palm. He smiles at me, and I look away.

Okay. So maybe there’s more than one reason why I ask for him to deliver the pizza. But he doesn’t need to know that.

I grab the cardboard box. “Thanks. Hope you weren’t waiting long.”

“No worries,” he says easily, and shoves his hands into his pockets. “Long day?”

“Ugh,” I say, and he laughs. “The longest. But it’s over, and now I have pizza.”

“Pizza makes everything better.” Normally we don’t talk much during these exchanges, but he seems chattier than usual. Seeing as all I have planned for tonight is a Netflix binge, I’m not in a rush.

“So, who’s the new guy?” I tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “The one I talked to on the phone?”

“Oh, that’s Finnick, he started a week ago. Cool guy, always telling jokes.” Peeta scuffs his tennis shoe on the porch. “Actually, he said something pretty funny when I left just now.”

“What was it?” I realize I’ve been staring at him, so I remind myself to look away.

“Well…” Peeta gives me a shy smile. “Actually, he’s under the impression that you have a crush on me.”

My eyes widen and I try to recover. “Well, you can tell him you’re the fastest delivery guy in town, and he’s new. So what does he know?” I can feel my face growing as hot as the pizza in my hands.

Peeta puts his hands up in surrender. “Hey, hey, I told him as much. He was just teasing.”

It’s then my stomach grumbles. I wince and look down.

“Well, I won’t keep you,” Peeta says, and starts down the path to his car. Halfway there, he turns and waves. “See you tomorrow!”

“Bye,” I mumble, thinking that I should probably order less pizza but knowing full well that I won’t. My eyes follow Peeta until his car disappears down the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my beta 2ee, who is the parmesan to my mozzarella. 
> 
> I’m indebted to the incredible butrfac14 who beta’d this on short notice, even faster than Peeta can deliver pizza. And speaking of which…

It’s been three days and I haven’t ordered anything from Cornucopia Pizza. Every time I picked up the phone to order, I remembered Peeta teasing me, and each time I couldn’t face him. So Wednesday, Thursday and Friday have passed, and I haven’t called once. 

They probably think I’m dead.

I’m down to my last box of macaroni and cheese and things are getting desperate. Luckily, on Saturday I’m so busy running errands I barely have time to think, and by the evening I’m driving to my friend Annie’s house and haven’t even thought about Peeta once. At least, not once in the last hour.

Annie and I work together, and one day over lunch discovered we both love this one ridiculous sitcom. Every Saturday night we watch it together at her place, and tonight is no different.

“Hey!” When Annie swings her door wide, she smiles and flips her brown hair over her shoulder. “You’re just in time!”

Annie leads the way into her living room, and once we’ve settled on her huge sectional couch, she flicks the television on.

“I totally forgot to eat dinner,” she says. “Do you care if we order something?”

My mac and cheese dinner was far from satisfying. “Sure,” I say. “Where do you want to order from?”

Annie frowns. “What about that place you were talking about the other day? Cornucopia?”

I hesitate, but if I say no Annie’s going to pick up on it, and there’s no way I want to get into what happened.

“Okay,” I say casually. “They should be here in no time. There’s this one delivery guy, Peeta, you’re going to want to ask for him. He arrived in under ten minutes the other day.”

I may have overdone it, because Annie looks up from where she’s perusing the menu on her phone. “Okay…” She looks back down at the screen. “Wow, this place has everything. Did you ever get the sushi?”

“Stay away from that,” I warn. “They have everything, but the pizza is the best.”

“Okay.” Annie bounces up from the couch. “I’ll call them. What do you want?”

“Veggie pizza, cheese breadsticks and a cinnamon roll,” I say.

Annie squints at me. “I’m going to order you a salad, too.” I roll my eyes. Annie’s under the impression I need to eat healthier, and I’m under the impression she’s wrong.

She goes into the kitchen to call. I pick at my thumbnail, wondering who’s on phone duty tonight.

A few minutes later, Annie comes back, slightly flushed. “I think the guy on the phone was flirting with me.”

“Who was it?” Most of the guys there are pretty professional, except…

“Was it Finnick?”

Annie looks at me sideways. “You know this place pretty well.”

“I don’t really cook.” I shrug. “So it’s take-out most nights, and since they’re the fastest, well…”

“Since _he’s_ the fastest, you mean,” Annie says, and I look up sharply. Her face is innocent, and she doesn’t seem to be teasing me. But still.

“I just appreciate efficiency.”

I turn on the TV before Annie can cross-examine me.

We’re about halfway through the episode when my mind begins to wander. Where’s the food? Maybe since it’s Friday night, they’ve got more orders than usual. Although, last Friday night he was pretty quick.

The doorbell rings. Annie and I both stand up.

“Can you get that?” Annie asks. “I’ll set out the plates!” she calls over her shoulder.

I try to think of an excuse, but Annie’s already gone and it would be too strange to call her back. I slowly walk down the foyer to Annie’s front door. I peek through the window at the top of the door and then quickly duck down. Peeta’s standing outside in his red uniform jacket, with two bags of food piled on top of the pizza box.

Why did I have to wear sweatpants today? I try to brush my hair out with my fingers then realize I’m being ridiculous. It’s just the delivery guy.

Who thinks I have a crush on him.

Who maybe isn’t wrong.

I take a deep breath and open the door. Peeta’s looking down at his phone, reading off the order.

“One veggie pizza, an order of breadsticks, one house salad –” Peeta looks up and stops when he sees me.

“Uh, hey.”

“Katniss!” Peeta’s blond eyebrows disappear into his bangs. He shakes his head. “I should’ve known by the order.” He frowns and looks back at his phone. “Though the salad did throw me off…”

I don’t really know what to say, and I’m regretting not having Annie handle this.

“Well, thanks,” I manage. He hands me the order, and I try not to let our fingers touch. I’m about to turn to drop off the food when his voice stops me.

“Hey, Katniss?”

I turn back to face him. His hands are in his jacket pockets, his shoulders tense.

“Look, I just wanted to apologize for what I said about Finnick. It was stupid. I shouldn’t have repeated it.”

His blue eyes are serious.

“I know he was joking,” I say, trying to play it cool. “But thanks.”

“Of course.” He nods.

“So, what took so long?” I ask lightly. I can’t help but ask. “This place is closer to Cornucopia than mine.”

“I know.” Peeta sighs. “I’m sorry for the wait.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal.” I shrug and smile at him, and this seems to put him at ease.

“Well, to me it is. As my favorite customer, this one’s on the house.” He smiles at me. “It just took a little longer to make all the food,” he explains.

Now I feel stupid. _Of course_ it took longer with our monster order! I’d smack my forehead if my hand wasn’t currently occupied with the pizza box.

“That’s really not necessary.” There’s no way I’m letting him give it to us for free. I shove the food onto a side table in the hall, and grab the cash. He looks hesitant as I reach out my palm towards him. “Please?”

He gently picks up the cash, his fingers warm against my palm. “Thanks,” he says. “Actually…” He digs out a pen and scrap of paper from his jacket pocket. “Maybe I can make it up to you sometime. Here’s my number.” He hands it to me and I pocket it without thinking.

“Okay.” I smile, and fight the urge to wipe my hands on my sweatpants because they’ve started to sweat.

Peeta’s gaze shifts over my shoulder, and I glance behind me. Annie had just poked her head out of the kitchen, before quickly ducking back. I know she’s hungry, and the food is still with me in the hall.

“Well I’d better to go,” I say.

“Of course.” He starts down the steps. “Have a good night!”

I close the door and try desperately to figure out what he meant about making it up to me. Did he mean in a pizza-related way? Or…

Annie strides up to me.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Getting the pizza?” I say, trying to figure out why she looks aghast.

“He just gave you his number, and that’s it?” Annie shakes her head and pushes me towards the door.

“What…hey!” Annie’s stronger than she looks, because she shoves me outside and shuts the door, leaving me stranded on the porch.

I know I could get back inside, but I’ve never been good at waiting.

I can see Peeta, silhouetted against the street light, already in his car. I’m gripped by the image of him driving away.

“Peeta!” I run over the grass towards him, and he quickly gets out of the car. He walks towards me, looking worried.

“Um…” Now that he’s standing in front of me looking much more concerned than a casual acquaintance should, I find my courage has fled. “Annie says we need some of those parmesan packets. And hot flakes,” I lie.

“Oh, sure.” Peeta nods but doesn’t move.

_Pull it together, Everdeen._

“Okay, that wasn’t totally true. I’m here because, because…” I can’t seem to get the words out, especially when he’s looking at me so intently.

“Actually, I have a confession to make, too.” My eyes widen, and Peeta looks at the ground, then back up at me. “I should have said this a long time ago, but there’s another reason why I get to your house so fast.” He takes a deep breath, but the words have found me and I do something I’ve been waiting too long to do.

“Do you want to have dinner sometime?”

Peeta looks stunned.

He opens his mouth but no words come out, and I realize I must have read the situation wrong. I try to calculate how long it would take me to run back inside the house. If Annie tries to keep me out again, I’ll jump the fence.

I’m just about to slowly back away when he smiles, and I know I can’t run.

“Yes.”

He replies simply, but it’s more delicious than the first bite of hot pizza.

“Okay,” I say, grinning. “I’ll call you.”

He smiles and gets back into his car, waving at me through the window before driving down the street. I’ve seen his car leave so many times before, but this time it doesn’t feel like an ending.

And I know the next time I order from Cornucopia, I’ll order for two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Cheesy comments and kudos always welcomed. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos always appreciated.


End file.
